GRACE AND THE TRUTH - DAILY INSPIRATION

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"YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY"
DANIEL 3:28B, ROMANS 6:13,16,19; 12:1



  Several avenues in our city have signs located at their intersections which read: 'YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY.' This means that we must slow down as we approach the intersection, and give the cars which are coming at right angles to us first place. Failure to observe this command may bring tragic results!

  This is God's demand upon every individual whom He has been pleased to save. It is plainly this: 'YIELD YOURSELVES UNTO GOD......PRESENT YOUR BODIES....... UNTO GOD.' What does this involve? Simply this: because God has graciously saved me through the death and resurrection of His beloved Son, and because by His Spirit He has brought me into an eternal union with Christ, and because I am no more my own, I repudiate all known sins in my life and deny the right to old self to be king any longer within me, and I yield my entire self with my body and its several members unto this loving Father as a 'living sacrifice.' This is a definite, once-for-all transaction, as the tense of the words 'yield' and 'present' indicate. Just as I definitely received Christ into my life as Savior and Lord once for all, so I am now just as definitely to yield or present myself to God for His own use and glory.

  Suppose I were to give you a check from our checkbook, and then tell you, 'Just fill in any amount you wish; I have signed my name already to it!' Knowing that I had informed you that I had unlimited financial resources, you would be free to write in any amount you felt you needed.

  Likewise intelligently and lovingly turn your entire being and life over to the God who loves you far more than you'll ever understand, and say, 'Lord, here I am; body, soul, and spirit; mind, emotions, will; eyes, ears, lips, hands, and feet; weaknesses, frailties, habits, sins, problems, circumstances, finances; take me just as I am; do what You will both in me and through me; and cause me ever to cleave with purpose of heart unto you until either death or 'the catching away'!'

And God will never turn down an offer like that! Do it meaningfully today!

Grace, Peace and Love,
Pastor P. Hume

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THE DAY OF ITCHING EARS
by C. R. Stam



For the professing Church the day of theological controversy has passed. Ecumenism is now the word on every tongue. Church leaders appear to have become convinced that the stifling confusion in the Church can be overcome only by all of us getting together, minimizing our differences and emphasizing those doctrines on which we all agree. As a result some of the most important doctrines of Scripture are neither denied nor affirmed; they are ignored. But little matter, for the objective now is not to be true to the written Word of God, but to see to it that the Church is "strong" and commands the world's respect.

Ecumenism, sad to say, has made significant inroads among evangelical believers too. All too seldom do men of God stand up to defend by the Scriptures the truths they believe and proclaim. Theological debate has given place to the dialogue, in which two individuals or groups sit down together to discuss their differences and see if there is not some basis for agreement. This appears generous and objective but too often convictions are compromised and the truth watered down by such undertakings, with the result that the Spirit's power is sacrificed for numerical strength.

No man of God can speak in the power of the Spirit when he places anything before the Word and Will of God. Nor can the Church ever be truly united and strong unless she puts God's Word and Will first and takes her place in the world as Christ's embassy on alien territory (See II Cor. 5:20).

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POSITION POSSESSED
By Miles Stanford




"The God of peace ... working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ" (Heb. 13:20, 21).

Abiding involves a dual choice. We can abide in the old nature and thereby become the victims of the internal civil war as depicted in Romans Seven. Or, we can abide (rest) in the risen Lord Jesus, the Source of our new nature, and thereby become the glad recipients of His life and liberty, as depicted in Romans Eight. "The Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom. 8:2).

"How do we abide? 'Of God are ye in Christ Jesus' (I Cor. 1:30). It is all the work of God to place you there, and He has done it. Now stay there! Do not be moved back onto the ground of the old nature. Never look at yourself as though you were not in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Look at Him and see yourself a new creation in Him. Look at Him as the very source of your Christian life. Abide in Him. Rest in the fact that God has placed you in eternal union with His Son, and let the Holy Spirit take care of His work in you. It is for Him to make good the glorious promise that 'sin shall not have dominion over you' (Rom. 6:14)."

"We should be spared years of struggle and failure if we learned at once --- as the converts did in the days of Paul--- that we ourselves were taken through the death of the Lord Jesus. The past blotted out, the pardoned sinner accounted crucified with the crucified Lord, henceforth joined as a new creation to the risen Lord and now sharing His life (Rom. 5:10)."

"The Lord Jesus is all that we need for all that we are."

"Your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3).

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CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US
by Russell S. Miller



When Israel came out of the land of Egypt and the Lord's gracious forbearance with Pharaoh required that he release the people of God from slavery, that Egyptian did not revere the Lord and would not let God's people go. On the fateful night of "the Lord's Passover", Pharaoh arrogantly hardened his heart against the Lord (Ex. 5:1; 14:15-18,27).

God told the Israelites to take a lamb, roast it with fire, and bitter herbs, and eat it in haste, for "it is the Lord's Passover", and "strike [the blood] on the two side posts and on the upper door post" of each house (Ex.12:1-11).

"For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord."

It is not Pharaoh and his Egyptian "gods", but Jehovah who rules the world!

"And... when I see the blood, I will pass over you... " (Ex. 12:12,13,29,30).

Now we come to the New Testament, and as our Lord celebrated "Passover" with His disciples, He instituted "the Lord's Supper", a memorial of His shed blood, the revelation of which Christ first delivered to Paul. It was later revealed to "His holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit" (I Cor. 1:18; 15:1-4; Rom. 3:25,26; 5:9,10; Eph. 3:5; I Pet. 1:11,12).

That Christ was born of "a virgin" makes His blood efficacious to save us from our sins (Matt. 1:18-25; John 1:47; Rom. 5:12; 8:3; Heb. 7:26).

This is why the Apostle Paul could say of the Lamb of God on Calvary's cross:

"FOR EVEN CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US" (I Cor. 5:7).

Now we see that not only were Israelites redeemed by blood in the Exodus of Egypt some 1500 years Before Christ (Ex. 12:11-14), the typification of which is revealed to Paul, but we also learn that Christ's "Passover" blood now saves believing Jews and Gentiles (I Cor. 11:25).

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, BUT BY HIS OWN BLOOD HE ENTERED IN ONCE INTO THE HOLY PLACE, having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Heb. 9:12).

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The Grace of God
By Bill Root





Tit 2:11 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men"



Grace not only saves the sinner, but also keeps the saved sinner for eternity! There are so many deluded, misguided, souls today who think that God's Grace is sufficient to save them, but that after salvation, God leaves it up to them to keep themselves saved! If only they could see that if God loved us enough in our ungodly sinful state before salvation, to save us by His Grace, how much more He must love us after we have accepted His Son as our personal Saviour! The same Grace that saved us is the Grace that keeps us saved after we believe.


THE MESSAGE OF GRACE

First, notice--- "Grace, " So many times we hear of people who ask for justice. If we got justice from God, if we got what we deserved, we would be in Hell! Any and everything we get apart from the Lake of Fire is Grace! This is our message to a world lost and steeped in sin. Yes, God's Grace is available and sufficient for the worst, most guilty, lost sinner! Romans 5:20 states that " ... where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound." What profound love! Never in all the annals of history was love better expressed than on Calvary's cross. There as His murderers stood gloating in unholy glee, the voice of Christ from the cross was heard: "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do!" Truly, "where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound." What wonderful freedom is expressed in Romans 6:14: "Ye are not under the law, but under Grace."

THE ORIGIN OF GRACE

Secondly, notice the origin of this grace... "of God. . .." Not of the church, not of self, but.. . of God. Paul says in Romans 15:15, ''Nevertheless, brethren, I have written you the more boldly, as putting you in mind, because of the Grace that is given me of God." It's wonderful to know that this Grace is of God, for we know that having its origin with Him, it will never be changed. Remember that Romans 11:29 says, "The Gifts and calling of God are without repentance."

THE PURPOSE OF GRACE

Thirdly, let us notice the purpose of this grace, ".. .bringeth salvation " God originated, displayed, and offered His grace with one purpose in mind; and that was: "to bring Salvation!" Notice especially Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by Grace are ye Saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast. "

I do trust that if anyone reading this article has not yet accepted this grace of God that you will "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ" TODAY, and pass from death to life by simply resting upon His finished work! Apart from the grace of God, there is no hope! This old world is, as it were, a keg of dynamite, with the fuse getting shorter all the time. All of us who know God's purpose in Grace should get busy and help many more unsaved to accept this Salvation that only grace can bring.

THE SCOPE OF GRACE

Lastly, I would call your attention to the scope of this Grace, ".. .all men.. .." Yes, there is not a person on the face of the earth for whom the Grace of God is "unavailable!" Notice in connection with this thought, 1 Timothy 2:4 ". . . God our Saviour; Who will have ALL MEN to be saved..." and Romans 3:21,22 "But now the Righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the Prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto ALL, and UPON all them that believe: for there is no difference."

Though the righteousness of God is unto all, it is only upon those that believe! So God, "who would have all men to be saved," leaves it up to us to carry out His purpose in Grace in bringing Salvation to those who will trust His Grace as expressed in Christ on the Cross.

So, in concluding, let's sum up what we have learned, Our message is Grace! Its origin is of God! Its purpose is to bring Salvation! And finally, its scope is all Men! Have you availed yourself of this Grace! If not, will you do it now?

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WISDOM
JEFF SEEKINS, Pastor

Scripture Reading: James 1 :5; I Corinthians 1:30


In today's world wisdom is often considered mystical, illusive, and unattainable. Some may even consider it synonymous with abnormality. No wonder the apostle records that the world by its wisdom knew not God, (I Corinthians 1:21). Dictionaries however, generally define wisdom as knowledge or discernment concerning what is right or true. And what is absolutely right and absolutely true is absolutely God's! Wisdom must come from God. As Solomon taught that the fear of the Lord was the instruction of wisdom in Proverbs 15:33, so our verses, though written from distinctly differing perspectives, agree that God is the source of wisdom.

From his legalistic standpoint, James directed his hearers to ask God for wisdom. Paul, on the other hand, with the dispensation of God's grace in view, pointed out that wisdom was from God and in Christ. All believers today are in Christ, and wisdom is theirs in Him. But in this context, wisdom goes beyond mere mental exercise, to the doctrine and truth God gave for this dispensation. The correlation between the two can be seen in Ephesians chapter three. Not only is the truth of this dispensation of the grace of God explained, but it is also equated with the manifold wisdom of God in verse ten. Colossians 1:24-28, on a similar vein, points out that Christ is the riches of the glory of this mystery. He is such a rich part of this truth that Colossians 2:3 tells us that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid in Him. Yes, believer, "ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom ... " ( I Corinthians 1:30). That is the very wisdom of God the Apostle Paul spoke in a mystery, (I Cor. 2:7).

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SALESMEN AND SOLDIERS
by C. R. Stam


It is true indeed that salvation is bestowed by grace and received through faith — entirely apart from works, religious or otherwise. But it is equally true that it costs to embrace the truth and costs even more to stand for it, rather than selling out. This is why Proverbs 23:23 exhorts us to “buy the truth and sell it not”. In this sense we are not to sell the truth. Yet in another sense we are salesmen of the truth, urging men to buy it.

As we do this we find that there are those who would actually seek to hinder men from buying the truth. Yet it is not primarily they who oppose our efforts, but Satan and his hosts.

“FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES, AGAINST POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD [age], AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS [wicked spirits] IN HIGH PLACES" (Eph. 6:12).

This is why God's salesmen must also be "good soldiers of Jesus Christ" (II Tim. 2:3). We must make the glorious message known despite the opposition. We must "put on the whole armour of God" and meet our adversaries with "the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Eph. 6:11,17). When they would shut our mouths we must pray for ourselves and each other:

“...that utterance may be given unto me, THAT I MAY OPEN MY MOUTH BOLDLY, to make known the mystery of the [Paul's] gospel."
“...THAT THEREIN I MAY SPEAK BOLDLY, AS I OUGHT TO SPEAK” (Eph. 6:19,20; Rom. 16:25,26).

This, by the grace of God, is our prayer and our resolve.

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GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY AND TEMPTATION
By Paul Hume



Scripture Reading: Jas. 1:12-17; I Cor. 10:12-13

Why are we tempted? Why doesn't God so arrange things so that there will be no temptations, or few, at least, to do wrong. James tells us clearly all through the first chapter of his brief Epistle. We learn from James 1:2-4 that God orders certain trials to come into our lives to the end that we may be "fully developed and perfectly equipped, without any defects" (William Trans.). But then in verses 13-15 James speaks of that inward enticement to do evil. This "temptation" comes not from God--though it operates under His sovereign good pleasure even as does Satan and all evil. This "temptation" comes from within. It is the Evil One--the tempter--drawing us, through our evil nature, to do those things which are contrary to the revealed will of God.

Dr. Charles Ryrie "in his excellent book, Balancing the Christian Life (by all means obtain a copy: published by Moody Press, costs $3.95) states several things about why God allows us to be harassed by various temptations during Iife. He states: "But as with all temptations, a test which God designed to teach us something may be failed and the lesson lost. In that case, the only solution is to confess the sin, pick oneself up again, learn the lesson of the weakness of the flesh, and lean harder on the power of God. But, you. say, are not the risks so great that God would do better to eliminate temptations from our lives? The answer is no, for testing is the route to approval and growth in our Christian lives. Proving requires testing; growth is faster in the face of opposition; great results involve great risks. Testings are God's way of offering us opportunities for approval and growth; they are the way of Satan's defeat. Which way we go depends largely on us." (P. 138.)

So when you are tested by the Lord through various persons who cross your path or various circumstances you pass through, or whether you're tempted by Satan through your fallen nature to think or do some evil, remember this.  It is a test God has meant for you to pass. He has given us His Word that He will not "allow you to be tempted above that you are able." He has also given His Son as our Helper (Heb. 2:18.).

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CHRIST IS RICH
Colossians 1:13-18
by James R. Gray


Paul in Colossians gives a great description of who Jesus Christ is to us as believers. Paul describes Christ as RICH:

Redeemer.
This describes Christ in relation to us. He is our redeemer. The work of redemption is to buy back that which is lost. Christ redeems us from the market place of sin. This did not come cheap. I Peter 1:18-19 tells us we have been redeemed with the blood of Christ. Silver or gold could not do it. Some has said that, "money is the universal passport for everywhere except Heaven, and the universal provider for everything except happiness." We have been purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28.).

Image of God.
This describes Christ in relation to God the Father. He is the image of the invisible God. This reminds us that God is spirit and cannot be seen (John 1:18.). The word "image" is the Greek word eikon, which means "precise copy, reproduction." Jesus is the image of God. He declared, "He that hath seen Me hath seen the father" (John 14:9).

Creator.
This speaks of His relation to creation. He is the "firstborn" of creation. This does not mean He was first created being. It has the idea of primacy more than priority. He has the place of prestige and honor. A place of honor deserved because He is the creator. For "by Him" were all things created. He is both the agent of creation and the purpose of creation, for all things were created "for Him."

Head.
This describes Christ in relationship to the Church, the body of Christ. Christ as head of the body implies two things: (1) Submission. The body is to be submissive to the head. It is the head that controls, rules, and guides the body. (2) Unity. The head and the body are not two, but a unit. The head and the body are one. However, it is the head that is to have the preeminence. (Col. 1: 18.). May He have first place in our life.

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In Christ-The New Man
PART ONE
By Pastor Joe S. Leftwich


In Christ we were made "a new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17). "Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ" (Eph.2:5). "And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ" (Eph. 2:6). "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8.).

The Scriptures declare that the things above have already been done (past tense) to and for the believer in Christ! What part did we play in the above actions? Zero!

Not only are the above statements true, but there are many other descriptive elements in having been made new creatures in Christ. We died to sin (Rom. 6:2). We were "baptized into His death" (Rom. 6:3). We were "buried with Him" (Rom. 6:4). We were raised with Him in our Lord Jesus Christ (Rom. 6:4). Our "Old Man" was crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). Our "body of sin" has been done away with (Rom. 6:6), so we should not let sin reign in our mortal bodies (Rom. 6:12).

We were washed, sanctified, and justified (1 Cor. 6:11). We were made "complete" in Him (Col. 2:10). Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). We were made ambassadors for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). We reign in grace, in Christ and "in life" (Rom. 5:17). We reign! We can choose to offer our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice to God (Rom. 12:1). We reign! We can choose "not to be conformed to this world" (Rom. 12:2). We reign! We can choose to renew our minds that we might "prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God" (Rom. 12:2). We can take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Cor. 10:5).

Does this list of things God has already done in and for every believer in Christ for eternity surprise you? Everything in Scripture from Genesis through mid-Acts has been leading up to this crowning of God's love for mankind and is now being revealed by His Apostle Paul, today, in this age of Grace.

God's chosen people, the Jews, had lived through many generations and several administrations (dispensations) in which God had been revealing Himself to His people in many ways: through His Law, for instance, given through Moses. But even while the Law was being delivered by God to Moses in the mountain, His chosen people were involved in gross sin down below. God had delivered them out of Egypt and had led them through the wilderness, by the supernatural pillar of fire by night and the pillar of cloud by day. He also gave them supernaturally, manna from heaven and water out of the Rock.

The list could go on, but these things are not new to most people with a cursory knowledge of Scripture. God had promised His people a Messiah, and they looked for Him with great anticipation. It is recorded in the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, that God had sent their Messiah, Jesus Christ, into the world to be Savior of the world. It is stated simply but magnificently that, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:11).

The four Gospels covered the administration of the old covenant under the Law. The New Covenant could not begin until the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ which of course came at the end of the four Gospels. Therefore, one could argue that the choice of those translating and publishing the Bible arguably could have put the four Gospels as the last four books of the Old Testament.

The emphasis of this article will be on the importance of knowing Paul's message to both Jews and Gentiles during this age of Grace, with a special emphasis on the application of his message to the lives of believers. In this article we will be focusing on the Mystery which has been hidden from (past) ages and generations which God is now revealing through His Apostle Paul to His saints, and through His saints to the world, which is, "Christ in you" (Col. 1:26,27).

"Christ in you" is the seminal truth of our lives as Christians here on this earth; the root, stem, branches and fruit of this truth as it blossoms in our understanding of who we are, and this growing realization that there is a whole new you, created in Christ Jesus. This understanding of our new identity makes us capable of fulfilling all of His expectations of how He wants us to live in this world, in this present lifetime, as new creations in Christ dwelling in our old mortal body of flesh, well pleasing to Him.

We, as Christians, have a tendency to be negative about our ability to live our lives well pleasing to God. We tend to emphasize what we cannot do. The enemy is just too powerful, it is said. Our "old nature," it is argued, has habits that are systemic and demand constant gratification, that are beyond our ability to control even if we are Christians. This, they say, is our dilemma.

The reasoning in this article assumes that the reader has believed the gospel and has been baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ. This is essential because the "natural man" cannot understand the things of God.

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In Christ-The New Man
Part two
By Pastor Joe S. Leftwich

How would you describe the average Christian's understanding of what it means to be "saved" and how he should live the Christian life in today's world? Who does he believe himself to be? How does he understand his relationship and responsibilities to God?

Most conservative Christians believe that they are saved, usually quoting John 3:16. Most believe that they should attend church, get involved in Bible classes, support missions and the local church in its endeavors to spread the gospel. And most have pastors who preach ninety-five percent of their Sunday messages with texts from the four Gospels. Their pastors probably cover the essential beliefs and activities as Christians until Jesus comes again to rapture His Church, His Body.

Now let us look at the contrast in messages as given by Paul in his epistles and those given by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Paul wrote in Galatians 4:4 that Jesus was born under the Law. God's administration here on earth covered by the Gospels was a life under the Law. The Apostle John wrote in John 1:11: "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." What gospel was being preached by Jesus? Mark 1:14,15: "Jesus came, into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand." And in Matthew 4:17: "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

Where, by whom, and to whom was this message of the kingdom of God to be preached? This is recorded in Matthew 10:1-8: ''And when He had called unto Him His twelve disciples, He gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease .... These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils .... "

The message, the messengers, and the ones to whom the message was given were all a different administration than what one finds in Paul's epistles to "the Church which is His Body." Surely this is enough material to make the case that the four Gospels were written to the Jews, and purposely excluded the Gentiles when Jesus said specifically, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles." Another clear indication of the difference between the Gospels and the other books of the New Testament was the whole way of life at that time.

Let's review the period of the Gospels: The Law, the Temple, and the offerings were in full operation during all of the life of Jesus on this earth. God made His offering of The Lamb of God, His Son, "without blemish and without spot" for the sins of Israel.

Through past ages and generations the prophets spoke of the coming Messiah, who would be the Great Deliverer of the Jews; Jesus was that Messiah. He was born under the Law. He came to His own while under the Law and His own received Him not. There are hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah that are fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

The Father's giving of His Son as an offering for sins through Israel and the Son's coming to give Himself are recorded in John 1:1-14. John wrote in Verse one, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God;" and in Verse 14, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory .... "

Jesus, to fulfill the requirements of the Law concerning His being offered by God as "The Lamb of God" for sin, must be observed for the required period of time to be declared that He was without blemish. Jesus fulfilled this requirement by living among them for thirty-three years and was declared to be without blemish. He was the only acceptable offering for the sins of the world. He lived His life and ministered among His people right up until it was time for Him to be offered by His Father for the sins of all mankind, from Adam and Eve to every man, woman and child who will ever be born into this world, which was ultimately revealed "in due time" through Paul's gospel (1 Tim. 2:3-7).

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In Christ-The New Man
Part three


So the four Gospels were all about God's coming to His own as their Messiah. He loved them and had a feast prepared for them but they would not come to the table. He came to His own and His own received Him not. The Son also gave Himself up as an offering for us Gentiles. The offer is still open.

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John have recorded for all eternity the coming of the Son of God into the world as a baby born to Mary and Joseph, His life as a child, His ministry to "His own," the Jews, reaching, teaching, healing, and performing miracles. I don't know of any references in the Gospels about Christ coming to the Gentiles. Therefore, I urge that we understand and accept the obvious purpose of the Gospels.

I believe it is a grievous mistake for Gentiles to claim the Gospels as their guide for being born into the Body of Christ. The writings of the Apostle Paul contain God's invitation to the Gentiles: I Corinthians 15:1-4: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved .... For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."

The four Gospels on the other hand record Jesus, born under the Law, coming to His own (the Jews), preaching to them day after day, demonstrating His Messiahship, and proclaiming His love for them and giving Himself as an offering for sins, first for the Jews, then for the Gentiles. God's gospel, given to Nicodemus, is John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." This was the message of John to his people, the Jews, that they might enter the kingdom of God.

"'Christ in you' is the seminal truth of our lives as Christians here on this earth ... :'

Why am I emphasizing that the Gospels were written primarily to the Jews? Because there are a great number of Christians, including many pastors, who live in the Gospels with John 3:16 as their salvation verse and missionary programs patterned after them. The missionary program Paul proclaims is that of every believer having been appointed as a living ambassador for Christ, permeating the world as messengers for Christ. God sent another message and another messenger to the Gentiles: the message of Grace through His messenger, the Apostle PauL

So hopefully, we have proved that the four Gospels are not the source of God's message for this age for which Paul has been chosen as God's apostle to reveal His message to the Gentiles. Hopefully, we have also proved that the four Gospels, precious as they are, do not reveal this mystery that the Apostle Paul has been divinely chosen to reveal. So let us seek to understand this great revelation of God's Mystery: Christ in you the hope of glory.

I see Romans 5:9,10 as being the transition statement of God from life under the law of sin and death to life under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. So, my fellow believers in Christ, reason with me as we look at these two verses that describe this transition: "Much more, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" and "much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Think with me for a minute, why does Paul use the phrase "much more"? Notice where he uses it. He uses it just before "having been justified and saved by His blood from the wrath of God." What could possibly be "much more" than being saved from the wrath of God? I thought this was what being saved was all about! But Paul tells us there is something "much more" than being saved from the wrath of God. What is it, Paul? Paul answers briefly and succinctly, "We shall be saved by His life."

"We shall be saved by His life." This is really what all the rest of our study is about. It is about our being in Christ, new creatures in Christ, and we will find that this is what it means to be "saved by His life." Before you were saved from the wrath of God, you were dead in trespasses and sin. But when you believed the gospel you were made alive in Christ! You were dead in trespasses and sin but now you are being saved by His life.

We are going to learn together what this life in Christ and being saved by His life is all about. The Christian is unique, he is a "new man" in Christ! This is what is meant by being "saved by His life;" "Christ in you, the hope of glory"! We can understand being saved by His death, burial, and resurrection, but then we must discover an adequate meaning for our "being saved by His life."

Frankly, my mind is settled on the question. I have been made alive in Christ and I have been made a new creature in Christ; my life in this mortal body, this body of flesh, is being saved by my being in Christ. "For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life"!

We have looked at the message, now let us look at the messenger.
The designated messenger to the Gentiles is the Apostle Paul. In Acts 9:15,16, the Lord sent Ananias to minister to Saul, telling him, "Go thy way; for he is a chosen vessel unto Me, to bear My name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel."

Conclusion: it was Paul and Paul alone that was called to go to the Gentiles. I am a Gentile, so I reason that God would have me go to the writings of Paul for instructions about who I am, what God expects of me and what provisions He has given for my being able to carry out His instructions. Why do we Christians who believe in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ go to the Gospels, which were written to the Jews who were under the Law, for instructions about how we are to live our lives under Grace?
    To Be Continued!

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In Christ-The New Man
Part four
By Pastor Joe S. Leftwich


God's gospel to the Gentiles now includes the resurrection of Christ, and is proclaimed by Paul in his letter to the church at Corinth in I Corinthians 15:3-4: "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures: And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."

Paul's salvation message includes Christ's resurrection and adds the fact that the believer is baptized into Christ. This baptism is not symbolic. We believers have been placed into the body of Christ. There are about 55 phrases using the phrase "in Christ." We can now say that Paul teaches that every believer in the gospel, as he has given it, is a new creature, or creation, in Christ.

I submit that today's popular mixing of these messages given by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to the Jews and that of the Apostle Paul to the Gentiles is a confusion of God's administrations of Law and Grace. Those living under the Law could, as Jesus told Nicodemus, be "born again" and have eternal life; but nothing is said to Nicodemus about being "new creatures in Christ." If one understands even a little bit about what God has done for the believer in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, he will not confuse these messages.

As a new creature in Christ, God can now reveal spiritual truths to you about His will for your life. A part of this revelation to us is found in Colossians 1:27: "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

Stop in some of these places and just memorize and meditate. These are majestic statements. Think about it! God willed, God exercised His will to make known the "riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles" defined as "Christ in you the hope of glory"! If we are to attempt to understand a revelation of this magnitude, we must study the Scriptures in which it is revealed.

Paul has defined the core meaning of this revelation as being "Christ in you." Think about it! God through Paul is revealing this "Mystery" to "His saints," you and me who have believed His gospel. Ask yourself, what fits this explanation better than what we are now studying? It fits exactly this extraordinary truth of God taking us, who were dead in trespasses and sin, and making us alive in Jesus Christ, and making us new creatures in Christ.

With this in mind, read this benediction from Paul: "Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith" (Rom. 16:25-26).

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In Christ-The New Man
PART FIVE
By Pastor Joe S. Leftwich



God has prepared us with power and promises to carry out any instructions He gives, so that we can live our lives in the flesh, in this world, well pleasing to Him. We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. He wants us, you and me, to act in our own lives to carry out His will. For example, look at something God asks you to do that would have been impossible before becoming a new creature in Christ. "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." Paul wrote these words to the Corinthian Christians in II Corinthians 7:1.

Given our preparation by God as explained in the list of things God has done in every believer to prepare us to live a life well pleasing to Him, what should your response be to His request? How about, "Yes Father, I know that You would not ask me to do something that I could not do. I will start identifying those things in my life that are contrary to Your will and do some cleansing of myself from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

We know that we will never "perfect" holiness; we will never do a complete cleansing of ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit while we are living here on this earth in this mortal body of flesh, which has a nature of strong desires it wants satisfied, but we can be "perfecting" (working on) it. So let us take a look at what we are faced with in regard to our flesh. Our flesh has appetites and is constantly suggesting to our minds that we fulfill these appetites whether or not they are moral, legal, or healthy.

Even though we are "renewing our minds," we will still have old memories of the things we did in the flesh that were contrary to God's will, but were very pleasing, and our flesh, calling on these memories, constantly suggests that we do those same things we enjoyed so much. This is a lifetime battle, "for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Gal. 5:17).

The Scriptures list three sources of temptations: the lust of the eyes (coveting); the lust of the flesh (food, sex, etc.), and the pride of life (vanity, arrogance: Look at who I am, or what I have, or what I have done!). Are you able to distinguish between lust and the natural healthy desires one has, to succeed and enjoy the good things of life? One difference is that lust will lead you to break God's laws. The natural enjoyment of our desires that are in accordance with God's will is what life is all about. Adam and Eve were meant to enjoy gratification of the natural desires that God had given them for food, beauty, sexual relations and having children.

One lust is the desire for sexual fulfillment outside of God's will. Enjoying God's gifts is wonderful Lust is disastrous. Lust is never satisfied! Lust knows not logic; it knows only: "but I want it." But you can now say, "You can't have it!" It may take many repetitions and a period of time to put to death these deeds of the flesh, but we are directed to make this a lifetime quest. Lust begins in the brain as a thought that enters the ear gate or the eye gate. This is an extremely important subject and is worthy of more time than we have in this basic core study of Scriptural observations about lust. Lust is a strong desire for something that will bring immediate personal, sensual gratification without regard as to whether it is moral or lawful Biblical lust carries the idea that it has gone beyond just being tempted. Lust cares not a whit about what damage is done or who it offends or hurts.

You, believer in Christ, are living in and ruling from, your brain. This is made clear from such instructions from Paul as Romans 6:12-13: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God." One's brain is the only part of who we are in which information is taken in, thought about, and in which decisions are made and sent out as commands to the members of our body to carry out.

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In Christ-The New Man
PART SIX
By Pastor Joe S. Leftwich





These are direct instructions to Christians in this verse, "let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof." Can you refuse to obey your lusts? God says you not only can, but that you should. God does not ask you to do something that you cannot do. As we discovered earlier, we can be using Romans 8:13: "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." Let's highlight this last half of this last sentence, "But if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."

Satan tempts by bringing thoughts to one's mind. The thought itself is not sin. What one does with that thought determines whether it becomes sin. Is the thought entertained, encouraged and enjoyed, or recognized for what it is and rejected? Satan put some thoughts into the mind of Jesus that if they had been entertained and acted on would have been sin. But Jesus, knowing His enemy's strategy, immediately answered with quotations from the Scriptures. Satan can put thoughts, terribly wrong thoughts, into our minds, but if they are immediately recognized for what they are and rejected, it is a victory of our new man's battle with the flesh.

The natural man doesn't have concern about such things. To him they are just natural appetites to be satisfied any way they can. I Corinthians 2:14: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." The Christian, on the other hand, has guidelines to follow. Under Law or under Grace, it is still wrong to lie, commit adultery, cheat, or steal. In fact, the believer has a higher standard, he is not to commit adultery in his heart.

While we are doing battle, it is comforting to know that as believers under Grace our actions do not determine our eternal destiny. That has already been settled for eternity. The believer has already been seated at the right hand of God in Christ Jesus in heavenly places. He wants us to know that we are secure in Him, and God never changes His mind!

The law has no power to change a man's heart. It can only reveal trespasses: "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh; That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Rom. 8:3-4). Because of what God has done, even though we now walk according to the flesh, God has made it possible for us to walk according to the Spirit!

Remember, "they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit," and "to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. 8:5-6). What kind of a "mind-set" do we have?

Romans 8:9: "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His."